Alkem Labs vies with AstraZeneca in oncology segment

HYDERABAD: Alkem Laboratories would soon compete with pharma major AstraZeneca in oncology segment.

The company is gearing up to introduce a generic version of AstraZeneca's Arimidex, used in treatment of breast cancer among postmenopausal patients, at a competitive price in mid-January 2004.

Alkem's product, Altraz (active pharma ingredient: Anastrozole), a new class of hormone treatment drug called as aromatase inhibitor, reduces the relative risk of recurrence and contra-lateral disease, and is used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal patients.

According to a leading doctor at Apollo Hospitals, Alkem's package would be priced at Rs 1,500 per month as against the imported therapy of Rs 7,500 per month.

"Breast cancer is a hormone-sensitive disease from its inception, and gradually differentiates into tumours that remain hormone dependent," he said.

Officials at Alkem Labs, when contacted, said that they do not foresee any problems relating to the grant of exclusive marketing rights to the innovator company. "EMR can be granted only in respect of applications filed in India after January 1, 1995. The applications for patents with respect to Anastrozole were filed by the innovator prior to 1995," they said.

Alkem Labs is targeting a Rs 1,000-crore turnover by 2005. The company had recently forayed into the herbal formulations market with the launch of two herbal products in the lifestyle segment.